The Super 8 Film Format - Retro Goodness
17A great deal of off the cuff information about Super 8 film. What it is, how to use it, and how to watch it. I love this stuff.
00:00 - Intro and Info.
02:22 - History of Super 8
05:19 - Looking Into A Super 8 Camera
06:20 - Are Professionals Destroying Super 8?
07:06 - A Look At The Physical Film
10:55 - Discussing Various Film Types. Tri-X, Agfa, Kodachrome, Ektachrome
17:00 - Looking at an old roll of Ektachrome
19:00 - Looking At Reels/Storage
20:21 - Detailed Look At My Bell and Howell 670/XL Camera
27:24 - Looking At My Projector
29:36 - Loading Up A Roll Into The Projector
31:07 - Prepping The Film To Be Projected
32:48 - Me Watching A New Film For The First Time
35:40 - Rewinding Your Film
37:30 - NSlate
Once the main form of home movies, Super 8 was knocked away by VHS in the 1980's. A devoted group of amateurs kept it alive through the 90's and into the 2000's when professional film makers have given it new life. It seems to pop up all over the place; In music videos, television commercials, and certain types of scenes in movies. Here I take a look at the Super 8 film format, my Bell and Howell 670/XL camera, my projector, as well as films and tips.
Created in 1965 as an improvement over regular 8mm movie film, Super 8 (everything is better when it's SUPER) allowed for more of the frame to be exposed. It was the primary home movie format until VHS cameras took over in the 1980's.
Though the 80's and 90's the format retained a loyal following from amateur film makers keeping it alive in the face of video. More recently, professional film makers have taken interest in the film, leading to more Super 8 films than ever before... Unfortunately those films are mostly negative films which can't be projected. Sadly, professional film makers could be the final death of real super 8 film rather than its revival.
From the start of the format, the main film used was Kodak's Kodachrome, which featured a great picture with extremely fine grain and the longest lasting film of all time. It was unfortunately discontinued in 2005. Kodak's own Ektachrome, which came out in the 70's, became the color reversal film to be offered until it was discontinued in 2012. Now, the only "official" reversal film is a Tri-X black and white film from Kodak. The only color reversal film available is film that has been cut and re-purposed from Agfa 35mm slide film. For those willing to take the great expense of transferring everything to digital, Kodak offers many negative films at this time.
I am uncertain of the future for Super 8. I feel the amateur element (where the real love is) is being pushed away in favor of much more expensive to use negative film that is really only feasible for professionals to use. I do have a feeling though that the love for the format is such that as long as slide film in some form remains there will be those that will cut it for use with Super 8. So I think we've got some time left. It does give a timeless look that can't be reproduced in any other way, so I'm hoping the market will stay interested in this...
Retro Goodness - Ep. 1x2 - The Super 8 Film Format